Chuck Berry was the Father of Rock ‘n Roll, a pioneering singer/ songwriter and the first great guitarist of the new musical genre. He created the template for all of those who came after him incorporating unique story-telling lyrics, catchy guitar riffs and great showmanship.

His first recording, “Mabellene,” sold over a million records, reaching number one on Billboard magazine’s Rhythm and Blues chart. “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Rock and Roll Music,” “Johnny B. Goode,” and many others followed.

He was the first to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and his song “Johnny B. Goode” is the only rock ‘n roll song included on the Voyager spacecraft’s Golden Record which has now left the solar system and is headed for the stars.

Leonard Cohen once said that “all of us are footnotes to the words of Chuck Berry,” and Bob Dylan referred to him as “the Shakespeare of rock & roll.”

I drew this caricature as a tribute in Illustrator.